Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Greenways Plan

274 Pages·2015·6.91 MB·English

2015
Parks, Recreation,

Open Space and
Greenways Plan
Plan Adopted by
East Lansing City Council
February 3, 2015
City of East Lansing
www.cityofeastlansing.com
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East Lansing Parks & Recreation
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City of East Lansing
Park, Recrea(cid:415) on, Open Space, and Greenway Plan
February 3, 2015
Mayor & Nathan Triple(cid:425) , Mayor
Diane Goddeeris, Mayor Pro-Tem
City Council
Ruth Beier
Kathleen Corkin Boyle
Susan Woods
City Manager George Lahanas
Cheryl Bartholic, Chair
Parks & Recrea(cid:415) on
Linda Hegstrom, Vice Chair
Advisory Commission
Gary Beaudoin
EJ Buss
Michael Townley
Vacant (2)
Tim McCaff rey, Director, tmccaff @cityofeastlansing.com
Parks, Recrea(cid:415) on & Arts Wendy Wilmers-Longpre, Assistant Director, [email protected]
Department Jane Stone, Administra(cid:415) ve Assistant, [email protected]
Lois Fogarasi, Administra(cid:415) ve Assistant, [email protected]
Thyra Foster, Administra(cid:415) ve Assistant, (cid:414) [email protected]
Elaine Hardy, Community Center Coordinator, [email protected]
Kathleen Miller, Recrea(cid:415) on/Youth Program Coordinator, [email protected]
Jim Jennings, Sports & Athle(cid:415) cs Coordinator, [email protected]
Julie Anne Jennings, School Aged Care Coordinator, [email protected]
Bethanie Mazuca, Interim Early Child Care Administrator, [email protected]
Carlos Barajas, Facili(cid:415) es Technician Coordinator, [email protected]
East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road, [phone]
Recrea(cid:415) on Facili(cid:415) es
East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, [phone]
Bailey Community Center, 300 Bailey Street, [phone]
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East Lansing Parks & Recreation
T A B L E o f C O N T E N T S

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................9
Chapter One COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
Statement of Purpose ...............................................................................11
Project Area ..............................................................................................11
Historical Background ...............................................................................12
Demographics ...........................................................................................13
Chapter Two ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE
Department Organiza(cid:415) onal Structure ......................................................17
Role of Commissions and Advisory Boards ...............................................19
Role of Volunteers ....................................................................................21
Current and Projected Budget and Funding Sources ................................24
Capital Accomplishments .........................................................................29
Regional Factors ........................................................................................29
Chapter Three INVENTORY
Park and Recrea(cid:415) on System .....................................................................36
Inventory and Assessment by Park ...........................................................36
Tennis Court Inventory and Assessment ...................................................36
Community Center Inventory ...................................................................43
Orchard Street Pumphouse ......................................................................44
Public School Facility Inventory ................................................................45

Chapter Four PLANNING AND PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS
Comparison to Accepted Standards .........................................................46
Level of Service Analysis via Public Input ..................................................51
Demographics and Popula(cid:415) on Trends Analysis ........................................57

Chapter Five 5-YEAR PROGRAM
Goals and Objec(cid:415) ves ................................................................................60
2015-2019 Focus Areas .............................................................................62
2015-2019 Ac(cid:415) on Program .......................................................................63

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T A B L E o f C O N T E N T S
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
APPENDIX ONE
Park & Recrea(cid:415) on Advisory Commission Ordinance and By-Laws .....72

APPENDIX TWO
Status Update and Post Comple(cid:415) on Self Cer(cid:415) fi ca(cid:415) on Reports .....................79
APPENDIX THREE
Joint Recrea(cid:415) on Use Agreement .................................................................121
APPENDIX FOUR
Park Classifi ca(cid:415) on Descrip(cid:415) on and ADA Self Assessment ...........................149
APPENDIX FIVE
Tennis Court Inventory and Assessment ...................................197
Orchard Street Pumphouse Use Agreement ...............................................207
LAP Respite Center Opera(cid:415) ng Agreement ..................................................211
APPENDIX SIX
Survey .........................................................................................................217
Survey Findings ...........................................................................................231
APPENDIX SEVEN
Community Forum Agendas........................................................................256
Agendas and Minutes from Public Hearings and Public Mee(cid:415) ngs ..............258

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East Lansing Parks & Recreation
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L I S T O F F I G U R E S A N D T A B L E S
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1 - Loca(cid:415) on Map ....................................................................................11
Figure 2.1 - Organiza(cid:415) onal Structure ...................................................................18
Figure 2.2 - Boards and Commissions ..................................................................19
Figure 2.3 - Historical Districts .............................................................................22
Figure 2.4 - Volunteer Data ..................................................................................23
Figure 2.5 - 2013/2014 Budget ............................................................................24
Figure 2.6 - Grant Funding History .......................................................................27
Figure 3.1 - Exis(cid:415) ng Bicycle Facili(cid:415) es Inventory ...................................................40
Figure 3.2 - Poten(cid:415) al Bicycle Routes ....................................................................41
Figure 3.3 - Park Inventory Matrix .......................................................................42
Figure 3.4 - Community Center Inventory Matrix ................................................44
Figure 3.5 - Public School Facili(cid:415) es Inventory ......................................................45
Figure 4.1 - Park Classifi ca(cid:415) on .............................................................................47
Figure 4.2 - Popula(cid:415) on Service Standards by Park Type ......................................50
Figure 4.3 - Popula(cid:415) on Service Standards by Recrea(cid:415) on Ac(cid:415) vity .......................50
Figure 4.4 - Demographics of Survey Par(cid:415) cipants ...............................................52
Figure 4.5 - Pa(cid:425) erns of Park Use..........................................................................53
Figure 4.6 - Sa(cid:415) sfc(cid:415) on Levels ...............................................................................54
Figure 4.7 - Community Forum Results ...............................................................56

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 - 2010 Age and Race Data ....................................................................14
Table 1.2 - 2010 Educa(cid:415) on A(cid:425) ainment Data .......................................................14
Table 1.3 - 2010 Household and Income Data .....................................................15
Table 1.4 - 2000 to 2010 Popula(cid:415) on Comparison ................................................15
Table 1.5 - 2010 Non-Motorized Transporta(cid:415) on Plan..........................................16
Table 2.1 - 2005/2006 - 2013/2014 Capital Accomplishments ............................31

LIST OF MAPS
Map 2.1 - EL Parks System with NRTF Grant Moeny ............................................28
Map 2.2 - Ingham County Parks, Schools and Trails ............................................32
Map 2.3 - School Districts ....................................................................................35
Map 3.1 - Parks, Facili(cid:415) es, and Schools ...............................................................37
Map 3.2 - Wetland Inventory ...............................................................................38
Map 3.3 - Poten(cid:415) al Conserva(cid:415) on Areas ..............................................................39
Map 4.1 - Park Service Areas ...............................................................................40
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East Lansing Parks & Recreation
FORWARD
CITY OF EAST LANSING
The Home of Michigan State University
January, 2015
Dear Community Members:
We are pleased to present the City of East Lansing’s 2015 – 2019 Parks, Recrea(cid:415) on
Open Space and Greenways Plan. This plan was compiled over the course of three
years and involved data collec(cid:415) on, community forums, surveys and other public
mee(cid:415) ngs.
The purpose of the 5-year Plan is to assess the needs of the community for parks,
recrea(cid:415) on, open space and greenways facili(cid:415) es, programs and services. The Plan also
iden(cid:415) fi es the ac(cid:415) ons to be taken to improve and maintain these facili(cid:415) es and services.
410 Abbot Road A 5-year Plan is required by the State of Michigan for the City to be eligible for
East Lansing, MI 48823 funds through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) matching
[phone]
grant programs. A signifi cant por(cid:415) on of our exis(cid:415) ng park system exists because of
www.cityofeastlansing.com
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Land Acquisi(cid:415) on and Park Development Grants
administered by the MDNR.
Over the past 20 years the East Lansing community has supported a signifi cant
fi nancial investment in our parks, recrea(cid:415) on, open space and greenways system.
Voters approved 3 bond ini(cid:415) a(cid:415) ves between 1995 and 1998 that provided $13 million
for park improvements, the Family Aqua(cid:415) c Center and the Hannah Community Center.
The bond funds were leveraged into over $20 million for projects through the Michigan
Natural Resources Trust Fund Grants, fund-raising eff orts, generous individual and
corporate contribu(cid:415) ons and the City’s General Fund. Between 2016 and 2019 these
bond programs will re(cid:415) re. As these bonds re(cid:415) re we recommend that thorough
evalua(cid:415) on go into determining the willingness of voters to again approve long term
funding mechanisms to preserve our investments and con(cid:415) nue to improve our parks,
recrea(cid:415) on, open space and greenways system.
Your comments and/or sugges(cid:415) ons are always welcome. Please contact the Parks
and Recrea(cid:415) on Administra(cid:415) ve Offi ce at [phone] or by email at parks@
cityofeastlansing.com with any comments and/or sugges(cid:415) ons.
Sincerely,
Timothy M. McCaff rey
Director of Parks & Recrea(cid:415) on
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Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Execu(cid:415) ve Summary 4. Provide for Organized and Unorganized Recrea(cid:415) on
opportuni(cid:415) es throughout the City of East Lansing
The 2015 City of East Lansing Parks, Recrea(cid:415) on, Open
5. Preserve and enhance open spaces, natural systems
Space and Greenways Plan (the Plan) iden(cid:415) fi es and
and signifi cant natural features within the City of
describes the current needs for community facili(cid:415) es,
East Lansing
programs and services that best serve the ci(cid:415) zens of East
6. Provide connec(cid:415) ons between Parks, Neighborhoods
Lansing. The Plan is also necessary to maintain eligibility
and Community Facili(cid:415) es throughout the City
for State of Michigan grants that help fund capital
improvements for parks and facili(cid:415) es. The 2015 Plan was 7. Recognize the need for the use and re-purposing of
developed over the course of three years and will serve Public Spaces, Parks and Placemaking to support
as a guide for the next fi ve year period unless updated the iden(cid:415) ty, use and brand that represents East
sooner. Lansing
8. Encourage Community Partnerships and Joint
Public involvement was a key component in developing Ventures with groups and organiza(cid:415) ons that have a
the 2015 Plan and included the following planning eff orts: symbio(cid:415) c or suppor(cid:415) ve rela(cid:415) onship
1. 2011 Community Opinion Survey 9. Improve and expand communica(cid:415) on with the
2. Community input forums on March 7 and March 23, public to promote East Lansing facili(cid:415) es, programs
2011 and services, and to increase ci(cid:415) zen awareness and
3. Public Hearing at the January 18, 2012, Parks & involvement in programs and ac(cid:415) vi(cid:415) es
Recrea(cid:415) on Advisory Commission mee(cid:415) ng 10. Plan and provide for future long-range needs to
4. East Lansing Planning Commission mee(cid:415) ng, acquire parkland, develop exis(cid:415) ng city owned
January 11, 2012 property or expand exis(cid:415) ng facili(cid:415) es
5. East Lansing City Council mee(cid:415) ng, February 21, 2012 11. Provide sustainable funding for East Lansing
park / facility opera(cid:415) ons, maintenance and capital
6. 2013 Workshops with Parks and Recrea(cid:415) on Advisory
improvements
Commissioners, Department Administra(cid:415) ve and
Leadership Staff on January 9 and January 17, 2013
Addi(cid:415) onally, an accurate and up to date inventory of the
various facili(cid:415) es, programs and services is documented
in the Plan. The inventory includes informa(cid:415) on about the
size, age, quality, and accessibility of the various parks
and facili(cid:415) es within the City of East Lansing. An inventory
of addi(cid:415) onal facility and service providers, regional
off erings, and regional plans is also included in the Plan,
as is demographic informa(cid:415) on about the ci(cid:415) zens of the
City of East Lansing.
Eleven Goals, with suppor(cid:415) ng objec(cid:415) ves, are iden(cid:415) fi ed
in the 2015 Plan:
1. Ensure a safe and accessible East Lansing park
system
2. Maintain and improve exis(cid:415) ng parkland, facili(cid:415) es
and management within the City of East Lansing for
East Lansing residents and visitors
3. Promote healthy and ac(cid:415) ve lifestyles through Parks
and Recrea(cid:415) on
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East Lansing Parks & Recreation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2015 Plan also presents a Capital Ac(cid:415) on Program that
provides a series of ac(cid:415) on steps to further the 11 goals of
the plan and to meet the current and future needs of the
community for quality and diverse park and recrea(cid:415) on
programs and facili(cid:415) es. Each item in the Ac(cid:415) on Program
is also given a priority of high, medium or low, based on
how well they fulfi ll one or more of the following seven
focus areas:
1. Maximize the poten(cid:415) al of exis(cid:415) ng facili(cid:415) es
2. Use environmentally sustainable prac(cid:415) ces and
enhance natural areas and features
3. Use alterna(cid:415) ve funding and resources
4. Reduce opera(cid:415) ng costs
5. Plan for future parks and recrea(cid:415) on needs
6. Develop and maintain diverse and balanced parks
and recrea(cid:415) on resources
7. Pursue partnerships, collabora(cid:415) ons and regional
approaches
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